Title

Author

Award Date

8-10-2018

Degree Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Public Administration (MPA)

Department

Public Policy and Leadership

First Committee Member

Jaewon Lim

Number of Pages

207

Abstract

A program evaluation was conducted for Volunteers in Medicine of Southern Nevada (“VMSN”), founded just over 10-years ago by a group of passionate and concerned citizens whose mission statement and goal is “to provide quality health care and support for people without access to health care in Southern Nevada within a culture of caring.” This report serves as the completed program evaluation for VMSN, and includes analytical findings and recommendations that VMSN may incorporate and develop into their organization to help further improve their services for the Southern Nevada community.

After careful review, it was determined that the scope of this program evaluation would consist of research, qualitative and quantitative analysis, leading to recommendations for two vitally important aspects of VMSN’s operations:

1. How can VMSN increase the recruitment rates of licensed professional volunteers?

2. How can VMSN increase the retention rates of licensed professional volunteers?

The methodology utilized for the program evaluation included a mixed method design of both qualitative and quantitative research tools. The primary methodological approach used to determine the best methods and practices for VMSN to carry out in their future recruitment and retention efforts of licensed professional volunteers was through the use of survey instruments.

The first dataset, collected by VMSN with their original survey instrument, was originated and distributed by VMSN in January 2018, but results had not yet been analyzed or quantified (“VMSN Original Volunteer Survey”). In addition to VMSN’s original survey, this program evaluation developed two additional survey instruments: the “Current Volunteer Survey” and “Previous Volunteer Survey,” wherein carefully designed survey questions were developed so that analytical techniques could be utilized to capture and analyze the results.

The following overview of recommendations are based on a timeline of actions VMSN can adopt in the short-term (to be completed in the next six months), medium-term (six months to three years) and long-term (three years and beyond). The following is a brief outline, which will be explained in greater detail within Section 6, which contains the comprehensive Recommendation section of this program evaluation.